If one opens up with IrfanView photo program, it will show one super large, I mean gigantic image.You could pick the frames you want to make into a start button.Only black background though.

EDIT:Oh, I forgot to add, to split up the image in IrfanView , go to options,export image tiles, put 1 column x 105 rows.Pick the ones you want to make a 3 state reg start button, or go for the extreme, and make a full length animated start button.

The sample below was set with Classic shell button size at 42 for large taskbar.

If you just want this image in the completely unanimated state, you can create a new image 3x its height, then copy/paste the image 3x into the image with no overlap. (since classic shell defaults to cutting an image in 3rds)However I Imagine you want atleast an alternative hover/click animation..

I tried to remove the black background from your image, but don't know how to do it.I'm not savvy on image editors.The only way I know is merging with luminosity to get the alpha channel like the two images.The second image has alpha channel copied over onto itself to boost alpha amount.It looks too washed out. I think black background is better.

@juniper if you use Gimp, the easiest way to remove the black background is to use "Color to Alpha", select black as color and it's done.I don't have the time to search for that animation and also I don't have the tools to extract it from a windows file (since, based on my experience, I think it isn't in plain sight, being hidden and so on...)

I love IrfanView and I use it often, but I don't think is the "right tool" to be used for that...

In the animation.zip file Jcee provided, the closest resemblance is the activity055.bmp file. I created a new image 3x the height, but it doesn't fit properly when in the taskbar. It looks like whoever created the windows start button up-scaled the image to size it properly. I was also having some trouble making the background transparent.

Would someone be able to modify the image so it fits the taskbar properly?

Now I'm sure black/clear versions are more than enough for blingblow/others to personalize it more.Like enlarging certain frames, turn off blending, turn off no reverse, chop out dead frames, changing starting/hover/pressed states, and on and on.

There are free online animated gif makers that can crop the image more, do all kinds of things, but usually work with no transparency. I read that the link where these images came from have been altered (color boosted), so they are not original. Looks like Jcee has got hold of the real ones.

File size.I think I saved with multipass optimization, but may not work anymore.I'm guessing adding the alpha channel added another 8 bits,as well as the rgb has redistribution of what looks like more active pixels?

I actually got quite close to your more professional practices with editors.In Adobe Elements, I turned on "Auto smart fix", then copied that rgb image to the alpha channel.With just a little bit of darkness around the flag. I increased gamma on alpha a little as well.

Yes, you're right, juniper7, I completely forgot to have added an alpha channel, after all.

Oh, as a side note, I almost forgot, the alpha channel isn't really transparent, so it will react with mouse over... if I recall correctly (I hope to not confuse with Rainmeter).Let me know, I can always make it fully transparent.

Oh, I think I know what you mean.Well, if anyone wants dual access to the Winx context menu on Win 10 and Classic Shell start menu, they will have to make the corner pixel 0/255 alpha on at least a few of the frames.

Hey, speaking of Rainmeter and Classic shell start menus, do you think you will ever make a start menu skin?Using Classic shell "Emblems" and "Patterns" would make it look a little like Rainmeter, just without being live.

Oh, I think I know what you mean.Well, if anyone wants dual access to the Winx context menu on Win 10 and Classic Shell start menu, they will have to make the corner pixel 0/255 alpha on at least a few of the frames.

Uh... only a few?At the moment it's the same for all frames.How many frames do I have to leave with a 1/255 black background?

juniper7 wrote:

Hey, speaking of Rainmeter and Classic shell start menus, do you think you will ever make a start menu skin?Using Classic shell "Emblems" and "Patterns" would make it look a little like Rainmeter, just without being live.

At the moment... I still have to finish 2.2 version of my suite (and it was scheduled for three years ago!)I have to admit that the latest news by Ivo... has given to the project to create a start menu another reason to delay it....I tried to "mess" with Resource Hacker, but I in the end I get lost after only a few changes.

If you mean to create a "fake" start menu with Rainmeter, well, no.There are some examples on deviantArt, but, even with the latest features and plugins, it's really a lot of work just for aesthetics and almost no functionality.

Some people have complained that they want to use the start menu, by hovering over the visible image to open the start menu, as well as hover over a true zero transparent pixel at the corner to get to the special Winx menu(gather mostly power users). On a regular three state start button, probably the middle hover image would suffice. Shucks, no, depending on which corner the start button is, it would have to be each corner.Anyway, for an animated start button, I assume it would be a few of the hover frames, because it would take that long to get the mouse pointer in the corner to activate Winx. Too few, those frames would have passed and won't trigger.

Anyway, I think we have done enough. It could even be detrimental for some people like me. I'm as sloppy as trying to play guitar, as reaching for the start button, I just fly over there to right click to get the Classic Shell context menu and end up getting Winx instead.

Looking back at your Avengers skin, it would be very difficult to implement stuff like that in a Classic Shell menu.

Other than some slight edits of some existing animated buttons and a few start buttons, build from scratch (but without any animation) my knowledge on this subject ends there.If there's a need for further editing, if I can figure out what to do and where, with some help, I can do it, it's not a big deal, it only takes a few minutes.

Going back to the start menu, what I was thinking of doing is almost just visual, mostly move something from one side to the other, like the user picture, move up or down menus and buttons, some space here and there...I saw some of your creations being very close to my idea, the problem would be take something from one, some from another, using a third party as a base and put it all together.Then, I have "only" to add all the necessary images, replace the font and hope......and of course, I can't test it with many versions of Windows and screen resolutions....a sort of Frankenstein creature! (hoping for the best)

Something I can't even think about, as it scares me and also I'll finish it when Windows 1000 will be already rather outdated, if even it will still exists!

Hi, fonpaolo.AS Jcee and I have found out, even moving a user picture has restrictions as to which style is used.The biggest problem is the menu can't be locked down to a preset size. Ivo did put in provisions for some size settings in Win 7 style. Still, the menu is always going to stretch. Emblems don't stretch, which is good. I've had plans in my head to make outrageous menu skins,only to find they can't be done, and give up. It really has to be simplified down to one/two columns of text with a little eye candy.

Thanks juniper7 for all your suggestions. At the beginning I was thinking of revolutionizing almost everything, for a complete new look, then I realized it wasn't possible.In the end, I was thinking of adding some space on the left side with some text (instead of the default version with Windows OS), a little more space at the top, with the user image and maybe a logo (emblem?).The layout I want to use is a two columns and possibly add a small "space" between buttons and menu.I don't know if the font I use in my skins (which is free) can be used or if I need to find a similar one.Most of the "effects" (let's call them this way...) will be created with images.

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